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Budai
Figure in Buddhist and East Asian religious traditions / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Budai (Chinese: 布袋; pinyin: Bùdài; Korean: 포대, romanized: Podae; Japanese: 布袋, romanized: Hotei; Vietnamese: Bố Đại) is a nickname given to the Chinese monk Qici (Chinese: 契此) who is often identified with and venerated as Maitreya Buddha in Chan Buddhism. With the spread of Chan Buddhism, he also came to be venerated in Vietnam, Korea, and Japan.[1] He is said to have lived around the 10th century CE in the Wuyue kingdom.
Budai | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Glazed ceramic sculpture of Budai. China, Ming dynasty, 1486. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 916 or 917 CE | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 布袋 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Alternative Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 笑佛 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Literal meaning | Laughing Buddha | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Second alternative Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 胖佛 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Literal meaning | Fat Buddha | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Third alternative Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 快乐佛 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Literal meaning | Happy Buddha | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Vietnamese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Vietnamese alphabet | Bố Đại | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Chữ Hán | 布袋 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Thai name | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Thai | พระปู้ไต้ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
RTGS | Phra Pu Tai | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Korean name | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Hangul | 포대 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Hanja | 布袋 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Japanese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Kanji | 布袋 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Hiragana | ほてい | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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The name "Budai" literally means "cloth sack",[1] and refers to the bag he is usually depicted carrying as he wanders aimlessly. His jolly nature, humorous personality, and eccentric lifestyle distinguish him from most Buddhist masters or figures. He is almost always shown smiling or laughing, hence his nickname in Chinese, the "Laughing Buddha".[lower-alpha 1][2][3] Budai is traditionally depicted as overweight and having a huge stomach (possibly a symbol of abundance or forgiveness) and many stories surrounding Budai involve his love of food and drink. Because of this, he is also referred to as the "Fat Buddha", especially in the Western world. He is often mistaken by Westerners to be the original Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama.[4]
The main textual record of Budai's life resides in a collection of Chan Buddhist monks' biographies known as The Transmission of the Lamp.[5]